Dawn and Dusk
by Element-Crystal
Summary: Faced with the massacre of the Solari, the Radiant Dawn is forced to balance being the sole leader of the surviving followers while seeking justice for what happened. But what Leona never realized is that there were skeletons hidden in the temple and it only took one vengeful woman to let the truth slip out from between the cracks. (Cover image irrelevant)
1. Chapter 1

The first thing that suggested something was wrong was when nobody smiled at her presence in her home tribe. Not her parents, not her surviving friends, and certainly not Pantheon. Instead, their typically smiling faces were grave. And only Pantheon would even look at her. The second thing that hit her was that there were acolytes here. Too many, in fact. Twenty-two acolytes in total found her when she arrived. They were afraid.

"Leona!" One of them said in a broken voice. The girl rushed to her and grabbed her shield arm around the elbow. "You're alive!"

The Radiant Dawn turned her shield so as not to block the girl away from her. Confusion marked her own face, though. "Of course I'm alive…" she said in response. "Why? What happened?"

"The- The-" The girl stuttered out, her eyes growing in size as she looked at something beyond the Radiant Dawn. She never finished her words. Instead, she gripped her arm tighter and pressed her face into the bend of her arm. Others who had begun gathering around her glanced amongst themselves worriedly.

"What happened?" Leona urged them. Her traveling party had begun easing the acolyte off her arm. Leona could hear her personal guards whispering to each other.

"The temple…" One of the other acolytes muttered to her. For whatever reason, this silenced them all.

Leona's face set into a determined glare as she started moving away from the group. Her entourage followed her closely, but only three of the acolytes from the temple made it beyond the edge of the village. The Radiant Dawn quickly climbed the path to the temple, a good deal ahead of everyone else.

The next thing she realized was that the sun wasn't glinting off the temple in the same way it used to. Half the radiance was gone. And as she drew closer, it became apparent why. Large portions of the brickwork was gone, with parts of the main hall having collapsed into itself. Leona's eyes widened and she started running for the doors. But they're already open.

She barely choked back a scream.

The inside of the main hall was a mess of bodies. Her hands gripped her sword and shield tight as tears formed in her eyes. But they didn't fall. She wanted to look away but she couldn't. All she could make herself look at was blood and bone and heaven knows what else. Her feet moved her forward, taking her inside the ruined structure. This wasn't something she'd truly seen before. She'd seen death, but she hadn't seen a massacre. Hadn't seen bodies days old and rotting away.

Some of the bodies were pinned beneath enormous pieces of wall or ceiling. Others were laying along the sides of the walls. Cut open from the back, burned, cleaved in two. Even one of the shields from the guards was sliced right open.

Then her arms lowered. As she reached the other end of the hall, she saw them. Each one of the Elders lay scattered. She recognized them all, though. Ennius was pressed against the base of what was once the huge Solari symbol that stood against the back wall. A huge gash stretched across his torso from shoulder to hip beneath the deep cut that nearly severed his head.

Leona looked away. _Turned_ away. Her feet carried her back the way she came, past her entourage that made it only a fraction of the way inside. Her hands shook. She felt sick. When she reached the steps outside the door, her weapons slipped from her fingers, clattered against the stone. At the bottom of the steps, her knees gave out and she put her hands out to brace herself against the dirt. Her body quivered and the tears were blinding her now. All she could do was shake her head and hold back her sobs.

"Leona?" A voice spoke from behind her. One of the acolytes.

"Who?" She demanded, her voice dark and on the brink of cracking. "Who did this?"

There was a pause before she received an answer. "Diana..."

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><p>Hope you don't mind me taking a moment to say something. I've really enjoyed the story surrounding Diana and Leona and have always wanted more. Since Riot is probably far from expanding the lore around these two, I decided to take it upon myself to write out what I've found to be the best way their story can play out. I've thought about this for a long time and most of this was actually written out of order. I<em> am<em> open to discussion on character voices. I'm pretty confident with Diana, but not as much the other characters that will appear in the story, such as my chosen perspective character, Leona. I also very much like getting constructive criticism or even just hearing that you enjoy what I've written. Also, if you do like it, it'd make me really happy if you it linked to others who might also enjoy it.


	2. Chapter 2

All manner of grace and poise were lost to her the moment she saw the heretic. Fury boiled in Leona. All she could think of was the blood on the heretic's hands. The Solari adjusted her grip on her weapons as she stepped into the space before her. And Diana stood there, almost expectantly. She wore her anger like warpaint and somehow looked so composed. The heretic started to open her mouth to speak but words shoved their way past Leona's lips. "It was _you_."

Diana's expression darkened. Her teeth came together just before her mouth closed again.

"You _killed_ them, didn't you?"

"I did," the woman said bluntly.

"Then you must die..."

Sunlight illuminated her shield and she charged forward. Diana immediately summoned a shield of light as she raised her khopesh to meet her rival. With the force Leona put behind her shield, her khopesh offered no protection and she was staggered back. At the same time, Leona's shield was unable to block the searing light of the heretic's power. But she grit her teeth and ignored the pain. The Solari moved to strike through her when the lunar shield pulsed and softened the blow.

Diana moved away and yelled, "You won't even let me speak?"

"No!"

"They deserved to die, Leona!"

Leona charged at her again, but Diana moved out of the way. Instead, the Solari whipped her shield out and struck her in the back. The heretic clutched at the back of her head as she circled away from her.

"Do you think you know the truth?"

"I know what you did! That's enough!" Leona sent her blade out, sunlight striking past her reach and connecting with the heretic. She raised her blade to meet her again as Leona surged towards her. The metal collided with her shield and Leona swept her blade under her feet, causing her rival to fall on her hip. When she moved to strike her blade down, Diana deftly swirled her khopesh around her Zenith Blade and twisted it out of her hand. With a kick to Leona's shield, the heretic pushed her back and jumped to her feet.

"There's a lot you need to know, Leona!" Diana yelled.

"I won't hear it from you, _heretic!_"

The woman's face twisted with anger at the word. Her lips parted in a snarl. Diana threw out her blade and light flew towards her. Leona raised her shield and summoned the sun's light to protect her, but it only stopped so much. The moonlight still burned her skin. And then Diana was suddenly in front of her, blade latching behind her shield as she tried to rip it from her arm.

"If I am a heretic, you are _nothing_ but a false champion!"

Leona's Eclipse burst and Diana was shoved away, unprepared for the force. Her khopesh tore at her shield as the heretic held her grip on her own weapon, causing it to yank at Leona's arm. She yelled in pain and pulled it back, grabbing at her arm for a moment before snapping her head up and running at the woman, shoving her onto the ground. She quickly grabbed her sword and turned back to see Diana charging her. Her shield rose and met her weapon just in time. Then Leona swung her sword out as Diana pulled back, but the end of the blade caught her and she heard fabric ripping. Looking down, Leona saw blood rising on the woman's leg. A hand quickly grabbed the wound.

"I am _not _a false champion."

"You're just as blind as the rest of them!" The heretic yelled at her. She started limping backwards, eyes locked on Leona's every motion. When the Radiant Dawn stepped towards her, Diana lifted her blade and stood on her good leg. "You are not the person I thought you were," she said bitterly. "If you would not care about what happened, then you deserve the same fate."

Leona rushed her again, but she felt herself suddenly pulled forward into Diana. Then she was gone and a blade cut through her side. When Leona stopped again, she turned to see the woman's moon-touched hair as she retreated into the trees.

The Solari waited, watching to see if the heretic would return. but she never did. Finally, she stabbed her sword into the ground and clutched her wound.

This was far from over.

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><p>*Quietly keeps adjusting what she's already posted*<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

*coughs* Realized I can pace this better by doing this...

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><p>"We need the temple rebuilt and we need protection. I know it's not easy to ask of you, but we need your help," Leona argued. The Solari cowered together in a small space in the common grounds while the Rakkor stood around. Leona and the few leading members of the tribe stood on a small, round platform, one they'd always used for announcements. It was cut from the stone that was rooted there.<p>

"Fighting's easy, but rebuilding a temple? We're not _builders_, Leona," The Chieftain said.

"I know that," Leona replied. "But we just need some protection from the elements of the mountain so that the Solari can get back on their feet. We have our own food still cultivating up there but if we wait much longer it'll all go to waste."

"That doesn't change anything!"

Leona ran her hand over her face. "It doesn't have to be a perfect job. Just enough to let my people move back in. The Rakkor can stay and eat their share with us. _Please_."

The Chieftain stared sternly at her. "Leona, look around and tell me who you expect to rebuild your temple and what you expect us to build with."

The Radiant Dawn furrowed her brow. "Not everyone wants to be a warrior! Not everyone wants this life! Maybe someone here _does_ know how to help and _wants_ to! But it's _your_ decision whether they can."

"You still have nothing to repair your temple with!"

"Why are you arguing with me like this?" Leona demanded. "You're supposed to support the Solari! Why go back on that now?"

"Because I have to look out for _my_ people now! To protect them from the menace that spawned from _you_."

"You don't expect me to think about the Rakkor? You don't think I'm not worried about that heretic, too?"

"I don't expect you to think about us because the Solari barely thought about us before. And you're _still _thinking about them first."

"Because I'm the only leader they have now! But my family is still here and so are my friends! Everyone who was at my Rite of Kor should know how much I care!"

"The _sun_ saw her as worthy…" One of the Solari behind her said quietly. Leona glanced back before meeting the Chieftain's gaze again.

"Radiant Dawn," another spoke. "If you feel our return to the temple is necessary, we will go whether or not the Rakkor help us."

This time, Leona couldn't look away from them. Her concern was more than apparent on her face. "But I can't just let you return unprotected. What if she comes back? What if I can't stop her?"

"You won't be alone," Pantheon chimed in again, moving to stand next to the Solari acolytes. "Even if no one else follows me, I will follow you, Leona!"

Leona looked at him with surprise, but nodded in acknowledgement. Then she turned back to the Chieftain. "Would you let anyone who's willing follow me?"

He was angry. It took him a long time to answer, but in a grudging tone he said, "Yes."

Leona took a breath and stood taller, nodding to him. "Thank you." She stepped down off the platform and walked over to Pantheon and the Solari acolytes. They left for Pantheon's hut, discussing what they should do. A few of the other Rakkor surprised her by joining them there. Even more followed her up the mountain and her heart swelled with the hope it brought.


	4. Chapter 4

So I swapped this part and another part, so go reread chapter 3 and come back here.

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><p>Leona wanted it to stop. The heretic's words hit her like arrows that burned inside of her, but she was determined to keep her composure this time. She set her teeth hard against each other, trying to glue them together to keep from snapping back at the girl assaulting her. It was hard to hold her tongue, especially since every word she said made the fire burn hotter.<p>

"You still aren't listening, are you?" Diana yelled. "You _want _to be blind! Why would you ever question the teachings of such an 'esteemed', _dominating_ order!" The woman swung her khopesh and was met with a clang by Leona's shield. The force behind Diana's blows was enough to make her arm hurt. But she had to focus on the fight.

"You still think I'm a heretic, too, don't you? Because _they _said as much? Because you'd so blindly believe everything they say!"

Leona grit her teeth, throwing her sword out and charging into the girl, but when she arrived she felt a searing pain as Diana's shield began to burn at her skin.

"Do you think you're better than me? Do you think you have such noble goals? You don't even _think_ about the things you used to promise, do you?"

Leona angrily thrust her sword into Diana, but she was too fast and turned her blade to deflect it.

"When was the last time you did _anything_ helpful? Last time I looked, O Radiant Dawn, children were still _dying!_"

"Shut up!" The words tore out of her mouth and she swung her shield into the heretic. The woman clutched her head for a moment, stunned. Then Leona swept the blade across her body. Diana screamed before she suppressed it between her teeth and arced her blade out. Leona's skin burned again as moonlight shined like a spotlight on her. When she looked again, Diana was gone, but only for long enough to cut her blade deep into Leona's back.

"Did I speak too much? Are you going to turn your eyes back to the sun and ignore the truth again?"

"Silence!" Leona turned and swung her sword, but Diana had stepped away again. She felt her strength waning, but she used what she had to summon the light to protect her as she ran.

"Do you regret turning on me, False Champion?" Diana taunted again. "Just as the Elders did when they saw what they'd done?"

Leona felt herself ripped back from where she was and drained further. She struggled to move away from the next swing of Diana's blade when the sunlight exploded around her and Diana's attack was interrupted. The moment was long enough that the Radiant Dawn drew enough strength to make her retreat.

Faintly behind her, she could hear Diana call, "I _will_ be heard!"


	5. Chapter 5

Suddenly a wall of words. But I'd really love some feedback on what I've posted so far, if anyone's willing, of course.

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><p>Being here made her ache. The main hall had always been so welcoming and bright. Sunstones, as they called them, hung delicately in fixtures lining the walls, providing all of the warmth and light that was attributed to the temple, large windows sat at the highest points in the room with equally large Solari symbols acting as the panes, and beautifully embroidered banners hung from the balconies above her. But it was all gone. The night had washed away what colors remained and the wind stripped the room of its warmth. The suntones had been shattered, the windows broken, and the banners torn from their hangers. Everyone had worked hard to clean it all up, picking up the shards of glass and the pieces of stone, boarding up the windows and the holes in the ceiling, and discarding the shredded banners. But it still felt like nothing but a mausoleum.<p>

The Solari crossed the room from the hallway to the dormitory, looking to find the Elders' chambers at the other side of the main hall. She pushed through the doors to the hallway and then to their conference room, feeling the lingering warmth of the air inside. Their private chambers had not been affected much. The walls still took some damage, but it was only notable in the cracked stone.

The Radiant Dawn walked alongside the large table centered in the room, looking at all the empty seats. As she reached the far end, she rested her hand on the chair beside her. With a sigh, she pulled it back and sat down at the head of the table. It was where she always sat.

She wouldn't be here if she couldn't sleep, though. Diana's words were haunting her.

_What happened?_ Leona thought. The Elders had always been so busy tending to the Solari's affairs and the acolytes were always so focused on their worship and their chores. Where would Diana fit into that?

There was no sating her desire to share her questions with the others either. It started as simple ponderings of who the girl was, moving up into asking where she came from, and finally about what happened to make her so angry. Each of the acolytes were able to explain that she was a student, that she was very independent and a trouble-maker, and that they saw her very little in the years before that dreadful day.

_"What kind of trouble did she make?"_ Leona had asked.

_"She always got rough with the others, even broke a boy's arm once,"_ was her answer.

The few younger acolytes who had been in lessons with her described her as "weird" and "standoffish." Another mentioned how she used to be nicer before she started isolating herself. Besides that, the only thing Leona could think to do was peruse what they could salvage of the library, finding the archived census books and noting what little information they contained: _Diana, a 7 to 10 year girl. Arrived alone._

But it explained nothing.

What had gone so wrong in her time here that she felt the need to murder so many people?

Auburn hair cloaked her face as Leona rested her head in her hands, pressing her fingers into her skin in frustration. "What am I missing?"

Faintly behind her, she noticed the sound of paper fluttering and wind whistling. She tiredly opened her eyes, bothered by the sound. The Radiant Dawn brushed her hair out of the way and leaned around the back of the chair to see where it was coming from, but the only thing behind her was a cabinet. There wasn't a loose paper in sight.

Leona glared and rose from her seat, moving towards the object. The sound stopped and started intermittently, but the more she heard it, the more she realized the fluttering paper wasn't in the same room. Confused, the Solari pushed the cabinet out of the way, the wood grinding loudly against the stone, and was met with a door. It wasn't obvious by itself, but she could see the doorframe even in the darkness. Her fingers idly traced the outline as she examined it. Closer to the middle of the door, she found a small inconsistency in the bricks, a small gap between the stones that revealed itself to be a sort of door handle, with Leona's fingers finding a place to hook into.

But what was it doing here? In all the times she'd been in this room, she had never noticed this before. Worse, nobody had ever even mentioned it. Leona's mind wondered what the purpose of it was, why it was that this door was hidden here, why she didn't know about it.

Leona hooked her fingers harder against the stone and pulled on the door, but it didn't move. So, she pushed.

The door was heavy but didn't make a sound as it opened. Inside, the room was dark with only a small shred of light piercing the blackness. A distinct crack marked the wall opposite her, reaching all the way to the air outside. But it was too dark to see anything else. Leona turned back to the Elders' Chambers, taking a candle from the table and finding matches in one of the other cupboards. She lit the candle and stepped back into the hidden room, examining the curiosities within. For the small size of the space inside, there was a lot packed into it. Five tall bookshelves took up most of the space, followed by two cupboards and a large chest. There was also a small desk centered in the room with a book laid on it. The open pages were flapping in the ever present draft.

Leona took a seat on the stool at the desk and set the candle down, careful of the inkwell and pen still present. The Solari made a face at them, but the book was quick to take her attention again. She began flipping through the pages of it, glancing at the contents as she made her way to the front. There were dates, recent ones, and she saw names she recognized as the glanced through. "Diana" was one of them. At the beginning of the journal, though, Leona started reading through the pages, examining each one carefully. As they droned on of the duties of the Elders, she found herself skipping pages until the name came up again.

_A very odd thing happened today,_ the pages described._ A young girl arrived today, no more than 10 years of age. She was alone and shaking with the wind. Asked if she could stay there. She didn't know her parents and nobody was even with her at all. All she knew was her name. Diana. We told her, of course, that she had to be devoted and that she had to pull her own weight in order to stay with us. She didn't look like she could survive if she didn't agree. I'm glad she did. It hurt to see a child looking so in need of help._

But it was back to skimming. Passing mentions of Diana came up, things of her falling asleep in lessons, being late to study. There was one of her being caught in the library in the middle of the night. The journalist pondered what she was doing there so late. It wasn't until a year later that another truly notable entry appeared again.

_Diana asked us why nobody worshipped the moon today. It was a startling thing to hear, but Elder Ennius laughed. It was actually incredibly rude, but unfortunately infectious. Ennius told her what a foolish notion that was, said it was so entirely ridiculous of a thought and how no one has ever "worshipped the moon." I think Ennius might have been too harsh._

Again, a long time passed between the next most notable entry. Leona saw passages about her now, but she ignored them. Instead, she found more mentions made about Diana. Sleeping in class again, bringing up "moon-worship" in lessons. She was found before the Elders a couple times for "disrupting class." Her punishments had been various laborious tasks. Dusting the entirety of the library, cleaning the windows in the temple, washing the stacks of dishes in the kitchen. Always with someone watching over her, however.

Leona's brows dropped at the next entry, though. They knotted together, eyes glaring at the page.

_This is the first time in a long time we've had to access our hidden archive. Diana brought us a book and I'm the only one who convinced the others not to burn it at once. I don't think anyone else wants to keep any of these things anymore. But we didn't say this in front of her. She brought it to us and pointed out how the pages described a moon-worshipping practice. Ennius was quick to snap at her again. Told her she was lying and defacing our books to get her word in. The girl tried to argue against him and he just slapped her. I couldn't believe he did it. And I didn't know whether to feel good or bad about it either. All I could really see was that starving little girl. The last thing he said was that she was on midnight cleaning duty for the next week. A very unusual punishment._

Leona's eyes stopped focusing on the page. She tried to imagine the scene in her head. Ennius, who had been so kind and gracious and caring to all the acolytes of the temple… _hitting_ someone? It couldn't be true.

But then here it was.

The Radiant Dawn stood and grabbed the candle, shining the light on the books on the shelves. Some were inconspicuous, with names she could see sitting in the temple library. But most of the books were entirely different, _new_. Books like "The Study of the Moon" and "Secrets of the Night." Her fingers ran over the binding of another one: "The Chosen Ones: Introspection into the Radiant Dawn and the-"

Leona was disappointed. The rest of the title had been scratched out. She held the candle lower as she turned and stepped back to the desk. She started reading through the pages again, finding more time passing in the entries. Diana's name was mentioned only as the journalist wondered how she was. But they never sought her out. Just moved on. Two months passed.

_Diana was back before us all again. Presented another book she had found in the library this time. She compared the writing next to her own for us. Ennius proclaimed she had learned how to forge things, however. Ordered one of the guards to grab her as he came and seized the book again. Directed the guard to take her to the dungeon. I don't even remember the last time we used the dungeon. But he ordered her whipped 5 times and left to think about what she'd done. I shouted out if that was necessary. I couldn't help it. But he made sure the girl was gone before he turned to us and ask who pitied the girl. Three of us said as much and he told us that if the poison was to be stopped from infecting the Solari further, that the girl had to be cut off here. Ennius was looking out for us, so that the acolytes would not be forced to remember the past. Diana had not been discouraged from her path thus far, so new measures had to be taken. It was the only way._

The journalist thought even less of Diana in the following months. In fact, the journal wrote even less of the common things that happened in this Elder's days. Only the important things. Diana was an inkling, and only ever that when they wondered what she was still up to, citing rumors of her growing temper. Time passed quickly in the pages, jumping days, even a week in some places, until…

_The girl broke someone's arm today while sparring. It was the instructor's favorite student, Marcus, too. He was furious. I don't know who else heard, but she kept muttering it was an accident. Nobody seemed to care. Ennius said he would deal with it and sent the instructor away. The quickness with which he turned from kind to angry was remarkable. He immediately accused her of doing it on purpose, citing how devoted Marcus had been to the Solari ideal and how Diana must have hated him like she did the rest of the Solari. The girl was just as angry when arguing back, but it only made things worse. I couldn't see it being an accident, though. We sent her to the dungeons again with a punishment of 20 lashings. Breaking someone's arm isn't an accident._

The journal later described another of Diana's punishment duties.

_She has to regularly clean the catacombs now. The guards have to unlock the door in the main hall for her each night, but it's a fitting place considering she should know very well that the dungeons are right next to her, that her next punishment is only a step away._

Leona stared in horror at the thought. But she couldn't stop reading. She stopped again several months later.

_The damn girl brought us three books this time. We all accused her of a new brand of forgeries and tore the books from her despite her pleas. She kept saying how she couldn't make up the words written inside them, not the ritual nor the holiday nor the name. The damn name. Of course it was real. We knew very well it was. But she wasn't allowed to know that. Ennius sent her to the dungeons yet again. This time, he told me to oversee her punishment. And I did just that. But I told the guard with me to use my cane instead of the whip. But for some reason, I don't think even the 40 strikes will do anything._

Tryphon. He had always been her favorite. But hearing this from him was hard to stomach. In fact, Leona couldn't help but look away from the journal for a time. It took a great effort to turn back to the pages.

_I know exactly the contents of the private archive. I was more than glad to share one of these things with Diana when we caught her sneaking around our chambers in the early morning hours. She was supposed to be in bed asleep, and it would have been wise on her part given how much she had to do each night, but there she was, pushing aside the very cabinet that concealed the door to it. I don't know how she figured it out, but the sound was loud enough to wake me. The guards from our room held her as I smacked her across the face. I was sick and tired of punishing her. I told her if she wanted to know what we had so badly, I would show her exactly what she wanted to see. I sent her to the dungeons and grabbed the Lunari brand we still had. It was fitting. I'm amazed it centered on her forehead so perfectly, too. Her scream when it seared her flesh was loud and awful, but the lesson had better be well learned._

Leona fingers gripped the pages. She couldn't focus on the book anymore. Just stared, wide-eyed and mouth gaping, at the spaces between the words as her stomach churned. It couldn't be true. How could any of this be true? The Elders who had always been so peaceful and loving, who always told their followers to pray and dwell on their faith when in doubt, who roamed the halls and helped the younger acolytes remember the verses when they were struggling, played games with the smallest of children, and spoke so familiarly with even the oldest of the Solari followers. Who never once spoke a word of this to anyone. Not even the Radiant Dawn.

She took a deep breath and held it, pressing her lips together as she turned the page. And turned the next page and the next. She kept flipping through the pages, looking for any other mention of her, but found only one.

_I've barely seen that Diana anymore. But I saw her today. She wore a covering over her head, no doubt hiding the scar I left. She's ashamed. As she should be. My lesson was, indeed, well learned._

And that was the last he wrote of her. Years passed and she wasn't mentioned again. The pages continued up to the day before the Harrowing. The day that they were murdered. Leona might've been back if she wasn't stalled by inclement weather. But they had been making plans for the ceremonies that coincided with that event. Leona clearly remembered the bright lights lining the main hall, floor to ceiling, front to back, and how everyone went to the main hall to pray to the sun from dawn to dusk. All to compensate for the annual solar eclipse. And it was the main hall that was in ruins.

Leona closed the book and shook her head. Then she looked up at the things around her. She didn't know what to think. All she knew was it suddenly felt hard to breathe. The Solari stood and was about to walk out of the room when her foot struck something next to the desk. She looked down to see a rack of tools for a fireplace. But one was misshapen. Her brows curved worriedly as she slowly reached down and picked it up, turning it to see the other end in the light. It formed into a circular symbol, one that perfectly matched the one on Diana's forehead. Her hand immediately released it and the clang of the metal rang through the empty temple.


	6. Chapter 6

Oops. Then I had an idea and wrote this fresh tonight.

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><p>Leona was nervous being away from the mountain. It wasn't like the first time, when all the Elders wanted her to do was visit their other temples and bring her Radiance to the people. This time, she had to seek help, and this left her people vulnerable once more. So long as she was unaware of Diana's location, they were in danger. All the reassurance Pantheon had given her couldn't ease her fears. He and the other Rakkor staying in the temple stayed behind to protect the remaining acolytes, but it still didn't feel like enough.<p>

She took a deep breath.

The wall surrounding the city-state of Demacia loomed over her as she approached one of the gates into the city. Her entourage had encouraged her to put on her decorated shoes again. But she didn't need the clicking of the heels against the pavement to gain the attention of the people bustling along on the streets. The gleam of her armor in the sun caused every head to turn.

Leona stopped, however. Her entourage around her did the same.

"Is something wrong, Your Radiance?" One of them asked.

"I don't remember the way to the palace," Leona said.

Her advisor simply smiled. "No need to worry about that." She continued walking down the street, guiding Leona through the city. Demacia was just as big and confusing as she remembered. But it was also just as beautiful. It had certainly been one of Leona's favorite places to visit.

It took them some time to make their way to the center of the city where the palace was. As they drew closer, Leona could more easily make out its location. The palace itself stood taller than the buildings around it and she saw the larger gap between it and the rest of the noble houses.

"Almost there, Your Radiance," her advisor reassured her.

They were approaching the next corner when she heard an all-too-familiar voice.

"... want to hear it?"

"Yes."

"What did one Solari Elder say to the other?"

"I don't know," another voice replied. "What _did_ he say?"

"_Nothing_. Because I killed them all." The words were followed by a chuckle, and then a deeper one. Leona's eyes widened. She could feel the dread filling her.

"Your jokes are terrible, Diana."

Then she realized she'd stopped again, Diana's back in plain view before her. The heretic held her khopesh so casually.

"Yet they still humor you," Diana said.

Beside her, one of her guards muttered, "Are you going to do something?"

The woman Diana had been speaking to was facing them, however. The intimidating yellow eyes of the half-dragon locked on Leona's before opening wide in shock.

Diana turned when she noticed Shyvana's misplaced attention. When she saw the Solari, she was clearly stunned before snapping to her vicious glare.

"_Leona!_" She said immediately. The woman raised her blade and threw a hand back to push Shyvana away. "Get back!" She ordered the Demacian.

Leona held her shield before herself and moved a foot back, readying herself against the heretic when Shyvana smacked Diana's hand out of the way and grabbed her by the hair. Her face lit up with pain as she was pulled backwards. A pale hand flew up to grab at the Demacian's.

"Don't you _dare_ start a fight in my streets," she hissed. Then her eyes locked on Leona's again. "_You_."

"You said you'd never do that again!" Diana yelled angrily.

Shyvana shook her a little and the woman yelped before gritting her teeth. The half-dragon only turned and snapped at the Solari, "Drop your weapons! All of you!"

Leona could only stare at her. Diana's blade scraped the ground as she fought the order to let her khopesh go.

"_Now!_"

The khopesh clanged against the stone and her other hand raised up to Shyvana's. Leona quickly lowered her sword and shield to the ground before gently laying them down, her guards being just as reluctant to do so. They all stood again, hands raised slightly, and Shyvana released her grip on Diana's hair. The heretic rubbed at her scalp as she turned her back towards the wall next to her.

"What are you doing here, Solari?" Shyvana asked, her tone settling just as the weapons did.

"I'm here to meet with King Jarvan," she answered.

"What business do you have with him?"

Leona couldn't stop glancing at Diana, unsure if she should still be worried by the bitter look on her face. "I've come to petition him for assistance…"

Shyvana glanced at Diana, eyes narrowed. Diana's dark gaze snapped to her companion before moving to Leona. Her arms dropped defensively to her sides.

"You will find no help here, Solari. Your battles are between you two, alone."

Leona turned her head away. "I don't need that kind of help." The guards to her right looked at her. She wished they wouldn't. Leona had to force a guarded expression to hide the sympathetic one that was trying to show through.

"Then what kind of 'assistance' do you require?"

"I'm just here to ask for resources and people to help rebuild our temple, as well as extra food. Nothing more." Leona could only momentarily look over at the half-dragon as she spoke.

Shyvana regarded the group cautiously, glancing over at Diana. After a moment, she said, "Do you understand me when I say that any fighting will be severely punished? _No matter_ if you're a religious leader or not."

"Yes," Leona said with a nod.

"_Diana_."

Leona turned to look at her. The heretic had crossed her arms and was now staring intently at the Radiant Dawn. Leona met her gaze, searching her angry eyes for her answer. When Leona glanced up at the symbol on her forehead, however, she pressed her lips together and turned her head away again.

"I understand."

She took a breath, a subtle gasp. Amazement shined in Leona's eyes as she looked back again.

Diana had turned her face away, however.

"You may retrieve your weapons now."

Another moment of tension struck them. Diana turned back to Leona, immediately wary of what moves she might make. Slowly, Diana bent to her knee, reaching down and picking up her weapon. Leona lowered herself, as well, cautiously taking her sword and shield into her hands again. As they rose, Leona turned her head at the sensation of her advisor resting a hand on her sword arm, seeing her guards move to pick up their own weapons from the edges of her vision.

"We should go now…" she said nervously.

The advisor's hand tugged at her arm now, drawing her away and to their destination. Leona's eyes lingered on Diana's, turning her head to keep watching her as she passed. And when she turned away, Leona quietly released the breath she didn't realize she was holding.


	7. Chapter 7

Aand another thing I wrote fresh today. Enjoy...

* * *

><p>She couldn't do it. Her advisor understood. If Diana hadn't been there, hadn't so plainly seen her so far from the mountain, she would have stayed. But she was there. And she expected no less of Diana than dropping whatever she was doing in Demacia and returning to Mount Targon. And Leona found herself climbing that same mountain now.<p>

At the very least, they were bringing food.

"The worst part of this journey is always the climb!" Her advisor complained. "I'm too old for this freezing weather!"

Leona said nothing. Instead, with a bit of focus, she asked the sun to shine just a little more on the woman.

Her guards never complained, however. Even as one of them guided their horse-drawn wagon full of food. They followed her the closest and the most unquestioningly. It was easy to see each of their Rakkor bloodlines.

"Do you think, when you figure out how to make more sunstones, we could position them along this path?" Her advisor continued. "Or perhaps just across the entire mountain?"

Leona smiled.

And then one of her guards howled in pain behind her. Leona whipped around, seeing the beacon of light shining on him just in time to see the heretic appear and cut him down. Her advisor screamed beside her and hid behind the Radiant Dawn.

The rest of her guard raised their weapons to meet Diana and started charging her when Leona shouted out, "No! Don't!"

But they met Diana fearlessly. The heretic was fast and powerful, ripping the shield of one guard away with her khopesh, striking another at her feet. Then one last strike cleaved through them all.

Leona raised her sword, calling the sun down where she stood. And she was gone again. Behind her, Leona's advisor yelped at grabbed at her shield arm, and Leona turned to see the blood soaking into the clothing over her shoulder. Behind her, the sunlight exploded between each of her guards still standing where Diana had been, and what little life they had was burned away by the very power meant to protect them.

The Solari stood, stunned. But Diana immediately set upon her and Leona barely raised her shield in time.

"H- How could you?!" Leona's voice spoke loudly, but it cracked under the weight. She had to fight the tears forming in her eyes as much as she had to fight the heretic before her.

"I could ask the same question," Diana responded between her teeth. The woman attempted to slice her blade across Leona's legs, but the Solari lowered her sword to deflect the weapon and shoved her back with it.

"_Why?_" Leona choked out. Somehow, she fought harder against Diana. When she felt like she could just collapse, she summoned her solar shield. When the woman summoned hers, Leona charged in anyways, striking Diana with her shield and stunning her. Diana's shield burned against her skin, just as her eclipse exploded against the heretic. She couldn't feel the heat of the sunlight over the burning of the moonlight, though. But she didn't care. All she could make herself do was fight. "_Why_, Diana?"

"Because the Solari are nothing but a blight!" Diana yelled back, holding a fist to her own head. "Because you seek to blind the world into following you and destroy anyone who stands in your way!"

Leona senselessly charged at her, knocking Diana to the ground. The heretic rolled and arced out her moonlight again, the pain striking Leona again as it hit. But as Leona approached her, sword raised, Diana disappeared again and sliced her khopesh into her back. The Solari bit back her scream and turned, throwing her sword out and catching brutally against Diana's side.

"That means nothing to me!" Leona shouted through the pain. "You said before I had noble goals. How did that change?"

Diana stepped away from her, pressing her blade into the ground as a crutch. "It changed when you blinded yourself in the sun's light. When you allowed the goals of a twisted society to dominate your life."

They stood now, neither one moving from their spot. Leona breathed heavily and she could hear Diana doing the same.

"I didn't even touch your food when I destroyed your temple," Diana said suddenly, then waved her free hand towards the cart they had been towing. "The fact that you already need more is only further proof of how greedy and irresponsible you've been."

Leona glanced at it, the horse attached to the wagon standing so firmly. She pressed her lips together to keep herself from frowning as she looked at Diana again. "It's not _for them_."

The heretic's face changed. Realization struck her and her eyes went wide. "You-" She took another step back. "Why _now?_ Why after _all_ these years?"

Leona turned her head down, trying to hide whatever shame might have marked her face. She didn't speak. Instead, the Radiant Dawn lifted her shield and started charging her again, but Diana turned and ran the other way. And Leona let her go. She didn't even bother looking up. The bottom of her shield fell against the ground and she allowed herself to collapse to her hands and knees. After a time, she sat up to take in the scene around her. What had once been her companions, friends, were now lifeless bodies lying around her. She tried to take deep breaths, to keep herself calm, but it was too much. Leona shook as she closed her eyes and turned her head down, covering her face with her hands as she cried.


	8. Chapter 8

"_Why after all these years?_"

Leona woke up at the thought. She sat up and looked around her room. She'd been asleep, dreaming. As her eyes settled on the window of her room, she remembered Diana was there, the moon illuminating her as she looked out at the mountainside beyond. But it was just her and Diana. Talking.

The Solari turned towards the window and put her feet on the floor. With a deep breath, she stood and walked to the same window, standing in the same spot she had been. The moon hung high in the sky, shining into her room just the same way. She looked back at the bed, thinking about her dream.

Words echoed in her mind. Things that Diana had said to her.

"_I see who you are now, False Champion_."

"_I am blinded no longer_."

"_You used to have such noble goals_."

And then suddenly, her thoughts flashed back to when she had been in Demacia. How she had recalled leaving the mountain in the past. Why it was different from all the times before.

Then the pieces fit.

Leona leaned against the window. All this time, she had allowed herself to be used. Where once she stood up for what she believed in, no matter the cost, she had let the Elders guide her and shape her and send her out to affirm the faith, even gain new followers. She'd had faith in their leadership and their goals.

But she was blind.

The Solari tried to think. That truth, alone, didn't stop Diana from coming and finishing what she started. With Leona's wound still as delicate as it was, she wasn't going to stand much good against her anyways. But what even was the point of making her see this if she was going to kill her anyways? If Diana truly thought that the her only solution was the death of all Solari, why waste her breath at all?

Furrowing her brow, Leona turned back to the window. "You didn't think I was beyond reason…" she muttered. "Does that mean…"

She turned and grabbed her robe, pulling it on and stepping out of her room and into the dark hallway. "Why even see the Elders so much if they did nothing but punish you…?" She continued under her breath. "You think we're such a lost cause but you're still trying to prove yourself to me."

Leona found herself in the main hall again, just as she had been that night. Cold as it was, she pushed through the room and to the other side, where the Elders' Chambers were. She wasn't sure what she thought she was doing, but if it could just give her an idea…

_But what _does_ this do for me?_ She thought. What did all these books of a dead society do? Explain why they were gone? Maybe. She'd have to read them to find out, but what good would that do her in stopping Diana? That wasn't a part of the matter at hand.

Leona was suddenly disheartened. She shook her head, clearing her slate. "Reason… Reason… I need a reason to make you stop…" She muttered and began pacing the room. Her hands flexed, craving her weapons. Fighting was so easy. All she did growing up was fight. But now she had to make it stop. Leona closed her eyes and clenched her hands into fists, throwing them to her sides before taking a deep breath, opening her hands again, and lightly resting her fingers on her temples. "To make you stop…"

Her eyes opened again. Then she made a face. "_Shyvana_. _She_ made you stop… Why did _she_ make you stop?"

Why couldn't it have occurred to her before? When she was _there_.

The Solari turned and approached a desk in the room, opening it and procuring a piece of parchment and a pen and inkwell. She set them down at her seat and moved to light a candle to better see the page. Sitting down in the chair, she picked up the pen and hung it precariously over the parchment, thinking of what to write.

What _would_ she write? An invitation for the Demacian to join them at the temple? It sounded foolish now, asking this half-dragon to come discuss the heretic. To start, why would she even agree to come to the temple? And secondly, would it be guaranteed that this letter would even arrive? Would Diana still be watching the road as keenly as she had been before?

She sat back in her chair, resting the pen on the table.

Leona could travel there herself. She had a better chance of making it there and would be able to speak more directly to the Demacian. But she was abandoning her people again and trip was not short. If she sent the letter, she would be free to better protect the Solari, as is her duty, but whoever she sent as her messenger could be killed. Besides that, the travel time to take the letter there and bring Shyvana back would be twice as long.

Leaning forward, the Solari rested her head in her hands. Would talking to Shyvana even prove worthy of her time? Could she really trust her to know how to talk Diana down?

Did she have any other options?

After some time, Leona sat up and took the pen again, hovering carefully over the parchment before finally pressing it down.

* * *

><p>It was amazing she had made it here. Leona had been so sure something would have stopped her, that Diana would have been waiting, but the trip had gone so smoothly. She just wish she didn't feel so guilty. It was bad enough that she left, but she didn't even tell the truth to her followers. She'd simply left a letter that she would be working with the Rakkor Chieftain for several weeks and left that night. It was a vain hope to keep their minds at ease.<p>

Nevertheless, she was already here, towing the horse and wagon back to the city it had come from. She wore rich, purple robes, a golden shawl pulled up over her head to obscure her features some, and her sword and shield were wrapped in cloth and strung over her back. It didn't do much, but she knew of no other way of disguising herself. At the very least, she wasn't gleaming in the sun like usual.

The first thing she did when she arrived was leave her horse at the stables. She hushed the stable owner when they tried to speak her title and she left as soon as she could. The next thing she did was find a guard.

"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?" he said as she stopped in front of him.

"I need directions to the nearest inn," she replied.

He nodded and turned, pointing down the street perpendicular to them. "You'll go that way, take the second left and it's on the right-hand side. Look for the sign."

"Thank you. I need you to do one other thing."

The man's face scrunched up in confusion.

"I need this letter delivered to the addressed person and I need you to send her where you sent me." Leona handed him the letter and watched his face light up.

He tried to hand the letter back. "Ma'am, you will need to find a messenger service to perform this task. I am not permitted to leave my post."

The Solari pressed her lips together in frustration. She raised a hand to her shawl and pulled it away some to let him see her face better. "I come as an ambassador but I'm not safe. I don't have time to waste. I need you to take this immediately. Please."

The guard seemed to be weighing the task in his mind. She couldn't tell if he even recognized her. But after a moment, he tucked the letter into a nook in his armor. "You are not to leave the inn I directed you to. I will send her your way."

She breathed a sigh a relief. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Leona didn't realize how tired she was until she was fighting to stay awake. She had barely slept this whole time and now her head was dropping with her eyelids and she was snapping it back up each time. Finally, she jolted back awake again at the sight of Shyvana, herself, standing before her, with two guards standing on either side of her. Leona tried to open her tired eyes wide, but it wasn't to the same effect as it might normally be.<p>

"Leona," Shyvana said.

Then the Solari's face truly lit up. She raised a hand in a way to hush her and stood up, drawing near to the woman. "I'm not supposed to be here, but I had to talk to you."

"That much was clear…" The Demacian put a hand on the chair next to her and started to move it out to sit when Leona took her arm.

"Alone."

Shyvana huffed and closed her eyes momentarily. When she looked at her again, Leona saw annoyance. "You did not choose a very wise location."

"Maybe not, but you read my letter, right? You understand the urgency?"

"Yes..." The half-dragon turned to look around before directing her attention to her again. "Come with me."

Leona grabbed her sword and shield from where it leaned against her table and followed Shyvana out the door. They traveled down several streets until they arrived at another inn. She was confused by the result, but the Demacian simply pushed her way inside.

"How long are you planning on staying here?" Shyvana asked Leona.

She gaped her mouth for a moment, unsure of the answer herself. "N- Not long. I probably shouldn't be here more than a day."

The half-dragon held up a hand to stop her and left, returning with a key in her hand. She didn't say anything, however. Just jerked her head for Leona to follow her. They went up the stairs, walking down one of the hallways at the top and opening the door to a room. Shyvana turned and handed Leona the key before directing her guard to stand outside the door and then closed it behind her to take a seat at the table inside. Leona set her sword and shield down against the foot of the bed and sat down opposite her.

"You wish to discuss Diana…" Shyvana started.

Leona turned her head down and folded her hands together on the table. "Yes. I… have some questions that I was hoping you would answer for me."

Shyvana said nothing. Just watched her, waiting.

The Solari suddenly found it hard to form her words. Taking a deep breath, she forced the words she had practiced so much to come out. "How well do you know Diana?"

"I am _familiar_ with her…" Shyvana said carefully.

"I mean, you know what she's done? Why we… Why we fight?"

"Yes. I agree with her actions."

Leona pressed her lips together, her face showing her worry. "Did she explain why she thought it was necessary?"

"She explained _some_ things."

"And you think what she did was right?"

"I do." Annoyance seeped into Shyvana's expression more and more as they talked. She wondered how much longer the Demacian would entertain her questions.

Leona struggled for what to say, but only mustered one word. "Why?"

"_Why?_"

"Why?" She repeated.

"Why do I think she was right?" Shyvana asked, confused.

"Yes."

The half-dragon raised her head, looking at Leona through narrowed eyes. She considered her words carefully. "Because I know what it's like to be outcast for your inherent nature. I know what it's like to have your death be demanded when you have done nothing worthy of it."

"She talked about the moon…"

Shyvana glared and Leona noticed. "What do you know, Solari?"

Leona turned her head down again, reaching into a pocket in her robes and procuring a book. She pushed it across the table, bookmarks sticking out in various places. Shyvana warily opened it to the first one, reading through the passage before looking up at Leona from beneath her brow. Then she turned to the next one, and the next. She stopped after the fourth, clearly suppressing her anger.

"This explains a lot…" she said.

Leona nodded.

"What are you trying to get me to say, Solari?"

She looked up at her, holding her gaze for a time before looking down again. "I want to know why she let you stop her. She's never stopped unless I escaped her or she's too injured to fight. Why is it that she stopped when you told her to?"

Shyvana regarded her through narrowed eyes again. She looked so unimpressed and Leona wondered what she was thinking. "Because she respects me. I helped her when she couldn't even think to take care of herself, and we found we were more alike than we realized. We bonded over the struggles of our past, how they were similar to each other, and how we use our anger as weapons. We both wanted to be accepted and while I've found a place of my own, she has none."

Leona's shoulders dropped and she fell silent. Her eyes drifted down to the table, but she wasn't looking at it at all. Shyvana took a deep breath.

"As a child, I was constantly on the run from my dragon heritage," Shyvana continued. Leona looked up at her again. "My father, who was also a dragon, gave up his place in their society to raise me. That made us both outcasts and one dragon refused to let us go in peace. He forced us away from every place we stopped to rest. I had no place to call home and not a single friend in the world. Even if I had my father with me, I felt like I was alone. And one day, that dragon caught up to me and my father. They fought long and hard and my father wounded him fatally, but the dragon killed him and retreated. I was so angry that I chased the dragon down myself, but I was stopped by Prince Jarvan on the way. He offered to help me kill the dragon and I agreed. When we found him again, it was another long battle before we finally killed him. I had my revenge thanks to the Prince, and I'm not sure either of us would have survived against the dragon alone. But when it was all over, it was Prince Jarvan who invited me into Demacia. He extended his hand and gained a powerful ally that day. And I finally found a home."

Leona had begun focusing on her words. It was clear Shyvana was sugguesting something.

After thinking for a moment, she opened her mouth to speak but Shyvana stood up. "Diana is here in the city. If you mean to talk her down, I will help you. Beyond that, your fight is still your own." Leona turned to watch her walk to the door, but as her hand hovered over the handle she turned back to add, "You're not the same as what she described."

When the door closed behind her, Leona found herself wondering what that meant.


	9. Chapter 9

The moon was bright tonight, just as it should be. It felt dangerous out in the woods and the silence did not alleviate it. Leona made her way through the trees until she found a bit of a clearing where a solid patch of moonlight illuminated the earth and, with careful steps, she eased her way in until she was bathed in the light. She was nervous, but she thought this might be the best way to get her attention. The Solari looked around, trying to see the area, when a figure appeared along one side of the area. By the way the moon reflected off the long, blonde hair and the aged armor, she knew exactly who it was.

"You're away from the temple again? And so far from your element, too," Diana's voice was as harsh as ever with a gaze like ice. "Do you have a death wish now?"

Leona took a breath. "I'm here for you, Diana."

She could see the woman purse her lips. When Diana turned her blade and moved it back, Leona knew what was coming and ran to the side and away just as the light swept towards her. Powering up her shield, she charged at Diana and tried to angle her shield to lift the woman off her feet. And it worked. Leona carried her back until she slammed against a tree, where Diana wheezed at the impact and struggled to breathe. The heretic tried to move beneath her shield but found herself too weak. Then she turned her face up, looking at Leona with fear.

This was not what she wanted, though. Her mouth formed a hard line, trying to keep herself from frowning, but her eyes betrayed her sympathy too well. Leona pushed away with her shield and Diana fell to her knees. When she looked up at her again, the Solari threw her sword and shield down and met her gaze.

Diana froze in place, kneeling before her.

After a moment, Leona spoke. "No more lies."

Diana slowly stood up, in complete disbelief. Her eyes stayed locked on Leona as she took a step forward and used the tip of her blade to push her shield further away. It was hard to resist watching it, but Leona kept her eyes on Diana and forced her breath to stay steady.

"I know the truth now," the Solari said, looking to make Diana talk more. "I know what the Elders did to you…"

The Lunari's brows dropped, returning her vicious glare. "And how did you find out?"

Leona raised her hand to move it into her robes and Diana took a defensive position, still distrustful of her, until Leona procured a book and held it out for her. Diana stepped forward to take it and Leona watched her expression as she opened it to one of the bookmarks, scanning the page. Her face twisted and when she suddenly slammed the book closed, Leona snapped her gaze to the ground as fear seized her.

"So you know," she said bitterly and threw the book away. "And what does that change?"

She didn't know what to say. Leona tried to calm herself back down but as her silence lingered, Diana's patience thinned.

"Do you think I want _sympathy?_" She snapped.

The Solari didn't look up, but her voice was gentle and calm as she spoke. "Yes…"

Then Diana stepped towards her, quickly. Leona looked up in time to see a hand shove against her chest and push her back. "And what does that _do_, Leona? Do you think it will just make everything better?"

Her eyes were wide as she looked at the Lunari. She hadn't expected her to do that, but it was better than a blade against her chest, at least. "N- Not my sympathy, _alone_. But what means for how I see y-"

Diana shoved her back again. "_No_."

Leona blinked and shook her head before replying defiantly, "_Yes!_"

The look on Diana's face was likened to offense until it darkened again. "That's not how it works!" This time, her sword swept out and Leona instinctively raised her shield arm. She felt and heard the impact of the blade on her arm-guard and thanked herself for wearing it beneath her robes. But she stepped back on her own this time and saw Diana was unamused. "Of course you're still wearing that."

Leona stood firmly, meeting her gaze. "I don't want to fight."

"You don't have a choice," Diana said and swept her blade out again, the direction reversed. Leona met it with her sword arm this time.

"I _do_. And so do _you_."

"_No_, I _don't!_"

The Solari glared and stepped forward. Diana moved her blade back to swing it, but Leona quickly threw her hands against her chest and pushed_ her_ back this time. "I'm _giving_ you a choice!"

Diana was stunned again. She struggled to speak for a moment before she said, "Why should you?"

"Because I understand now. I understand now why you've yelled at me this whole time. I thought you were just taunting me, but that was never true." Leona watched as Diana glared at her again, but she continued, "All this time you wanted it to end. You wanted someone to stop the pain, to end the misery. To just give you a _chance_. But you've had to struggle all this time and I didn't see it once."

Then she saw it: a fracture in the stone of Diana's face. Her expression softened now, her brows curving up just enough for Leona to notice.

"You never wanted the death. You never wanted to hate us, but we made you. And_ I_ made you hate _me_. I blinded myself in my faith, and it was that faith that pushed you too far. If I had just opened my eyes sooner, I could've stopped it. But I failed you."

Leona shook her head and stepped back. "Well, no more lies, no more fighting…" Then she paused, looked away as she relaxed and took a breath. After a moment, she looked back at her and said, "I want to give you peace."

Diana turned her head away, then the rest of herself. Her jaw clenched. She furrowed her brow and closed her eyes as she forced back long-dead emotions that had begun surging up. Then she turned back to Leona, donning her same bitter face and, in a fast motion, swept her khopesh up to meet Leona's throat. Leona froze and held her chin up just a bit, eyes wide with surprise as she felt the edge of the blade press against her skin. "The Solari will never give me peace. Not after everything that's happened. This can only end in death, Leona."

Leona allowed her brows to curve up. In a quiet voice, she said, "Does it have to…?"

And Diana couldn't stop the way her eyebrows lifted again, nor the way her anguish reflected in her eyes.

"You won't have to fight anymore, Diana…" Leona continued. "And I can promise you that they will never hurt you again."

Diana tried to speak. She tried to hold her anger, but it had turned to water in her hands. She was conflicted. Leona refused to look away from her and the longer she looked into those golden brown eyes, the more she understood the sincerity of the woman before her. She wanted so badly to just cut the blade across her throat, but she couldn't do it. Not anymore. This was no longer the False Champion she'd been fighting all this time, the vengeful and denying Chosen of the Sun. Now she was the Radiant Dawn again, as stoic and tall as ever, but with that same gentle look she'd seen all those years ago. One that Diana had seen the day she first saw her in the temple. As much as she had wanted that gaze to settle on her, she never expected it to be like this. To feel like this. She felt like Leona was finally looking at her.

Leona's hand slowly raised up to her khopesh, her fingers gently resting on the blade. The softest touch pushed Diana's arm out of position and, as she moved it just a bit farther, the end of her khopesh dropped to the ground. Diana stepped back.

The ice of her vengeance melted away from her heart, and she felt exhausted. Her face lost its anger as her expression became hollow, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Leona. And the longer she looked, the more her feelings started bubbling up inside her, unbound from their chains. It all simply spilled forth. Tears welled in Diana's eyes, and she pressed her lips together, trying to keep them from quivering but they did anyways. And when her breath became ragged and her body began shaking, she raised her hand to her mouth and began sobbing uncontrollably.

The Solari before her was stunned. She reached out for her, but the woman stepped out of her reach. But as Diana's legs gave out in front of her, she closed the distance anyways and grabbed her arms, keeping her from falling. Something brushed against her back, and she glanced back to see her khopesh, shaking in her hand as she tried to threaten her still. Looking at Diana's face again, she saw her struggling and failing to hold whatever anger she had left. So Leona eased her to the ground and kneeled with her, drawing her hands onto her own lap and simply sitting there with her as she cried.

Diana didn't move after that. She was too tired. Instead, she just let the tears come. Let Leona sit with her.

And it was enough.


	10. Epilogue

Leona could remember that night perfectly. It was not a memory she believed she would forget soon. She had asked Diana how she could welcome her back to the temple, but Diana couldn't answer her. The Lunari could barely speak to her at all, in fact. And they left alone.

The Solari heard nothing about her since then, either. Not in the time it took her to return to the temple, nor in the days that past since then or even the weeks. And the longer she waited, the more she worried Diana would simply return to her same path.

But the Radiant Dawn paced her room now, a book in her hand to distract herself from her worries. It was one from the hidden archive. Leona made it a point to reveal everything to the acolytes, starting with an apology for her lie about where she had gone. When she told them what happened, they were tentative to forgive her, even less so to believe their fears could be gone like that. But she laid out Tryphon's journal for them to read and revealed the rest of the books hidden in the secret room. None of them were quick to pick them up, but Leona was more than interested in this lost culture and started as soon as she could on reading them. And the acolytes followed her lead, their curiosity getting the better of them. Soon, everyone had read at least one of the books. Most of them had read several.

But Leona read the most.

Leona read every chance she got, between meals and her daily activities. And now, during what was her hour of relaxation, Leona read.

Until there was a knock at her door. Leona paused and looked over, setting the book down before walking over and opening the door. She found one of the Rakkor tribesmen standing before her. He held a letter out for her and said, "A messenger arrived with this, ma'am."

"Thank you," she replied and took it. As he left, she closed the door behind him. Her attention immediately focused on the letter and Leona sat down on her bed and examined the way her title was written on the outside. The words were written quickly, but somehow retained a sort of elegance. Upon opening it, the writing inside was just the same, but the sender declined further formalities.

_Leona,_

_I know it's been weeks since that night, but I couldn't handle being near you. All this time, I had only my crusade to give me purpose. My sole thought was to destroy whatever Solari were left and my goals were reaffirmed each time we met in battle. I believed you only wished for my death as vengeance for what I did and it was true in the beginning, but when you convinced me it could be different and that you wanted it to be different, I didn't know what to do. My one purpose had been taken and I was left with nothing. And I couldn't make myself see you as anything but my enemy, so I had to stay away. I had to think about everything you said and what this meant for me. But I want to speak to you again. I want to see if this peace is something we can truly have. I sent this letter ahead of me so you can expect me, but don't make any spectacles for my arrival._

There was no name attached to the bottom, but it wasn't necessary. The letter was a relief. But then her mind started turning. Diana was coming to the temple. Leona started wondering what she could do to welcome her back. Diana said no spectacles, which seemed wise anyways, but there had to be a way of making her comfortable. The Solari read the letter again, and then a third time, thinking about her words carefully and considering what she should do.

"No spectacles," she repeated to herself. Diana must have been having a hard time readjusting to this new concept of peace, so maybe the less Leona did, the better it would be for her. But what if Diana was weary from her journey? Would she want to stay the night? Leona would have to make accommodations for her. But then she realized she had to announce the news to the Solari. It took a long time to think about what to say and how to say it but, by the time their evening meal came about, she knew what she should say.

Leona made her way to the front of the mess hall and turned to face everyone. As she looked to the Solari and the Rakkor at the tables, a few of them fell silent until, slowly, the silence spread to the others until their attention was on her.

Leona cleared her throat and spoke. "I have an announcement to make. I received a letter from Diana today stating that she will be arriving soon to talk with me about our peace. I'd like to ask everyone to pay her no mind while she's here and continue your daily chores as usual. If anyone is uncomfortable with her presence, they are free to distance themselves. That is all I'd like to report."

"S- She's coming back?" one of the acolytes said in a nervous voice as Leona started to walk away.

She stopped to face the girl. With a nod, Leona confirmed in a calm voice, "Yes, to speak with me."

The girl seemed to calm a bit at the sound of her voice. She said nothing else, though. And neither did anyone else. They simply turned to each other and began muttering amongst themselves. Leona was thankful that they weren't visibly more panicked about the news.

Within the next few days, the acolytes carried on like usual while Leona tried to make preparations. She found out which room had belonged to Diana and made sure it was ready for her should she consider staying a night or two. The doors to the Elders' conference room had been opened, leaving the Lunari books easily accessible. And when Leona noticed the brand sitting on the floor by the fireplace toolset, she opened one of the cupboards in the conference room and tucked it away, knowing well enough that it wasn't something she should have to see.

In the evening on the fourth day, she wondered if a change in the decor of the main hall might have been nice when the door opened behind her. One of the two guards stationed outside had stepped in and approached her.

"Someone's coming up the mountain, ma'am," she said. "I think it might be your guest."

"Thank you," Leona replied. She made her way to the large double-doors and opened the other. "Please hold the doors open."

They nodded in acknowledgement and Leona stepped outside, looking down the path at the distant figure approaching. The wind kicked up and blew the cold air against her, but she paid it no mind. Leona stood firmly on the steps in front of the doors, waiting patiently for the person coming up the mountain. As the sun set along the west side of the temple, it basked them both in brilliant orange light. The closer the person came, the more features Leona could make out, notably the long, blonde hair that was reflecting the sun.

Diana slowed as she drew closer to the temple until she stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the Radiant Dawn before her. Her khopesh was still in hand, but facing backwards to arc behind her. Leona didn't mind, however. Instead, she walked down to meet her, smiling gently and reaching up to hold her at arms-length and look her over. And then she couldn't help herself. She pulled Diana into her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around her. Diana tensed, but didn't fight her.

And before she let her go, Leona spoke quietly to her in her warmest voice.

"Thank you."


End file.
